GLOBAL TRENDS IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND POSSIBILITIES OF THEIR IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

Sustainable tourism is shifting from declarative aspirations to measurable commitments, aligning the industry’s economic weight with climate neutrality, biodiversity conservation, and social inclusion. In the post-COVID recovery, demand rebounds while expectations rise for transparent metrics and verifiable performance. This article synthesizes global trends and their drivers and proposes a practicable implementation framework for Ukraine in the context of reconstruction. Drawing on comparative evidence from UN Tourism, OECD, WTTC and recent scholarship, the analysis documents an emerging “decoupling” between tourism growth and emissions: sectoral activity has approached pre-crisis volumes, while the relative emissions share has declined compared with 2019. A structural shift toward digital management is evident as online bookings and the use of travel applications expand, creating an infrastructure for time–space demand management, real-time monitoring, and resource efficiency. Convergence of institutional standards – SDGs, the Glasgow Declaration, GSTC criteria, and WTTC net-zero roadmaps – supplies common metrics and verification pathways, narrowing the scope for greenwashing and supporting evidence-based policy. On this basis, the paper articulates a four-pillar framework tailored to a recovering economy: (1) policy and institutional anchoring of long-term goals; (2) an integrated measurement system that couples tourism satellite accounts with environmental accounts and destination KPIs, delivered via public data dashboards; (3) decarbonization of mobility and infrastructure – priority for rail on medium distances, electrified last-mile connections, and energy-efficient, water-smart accommodation; and (4) certification and finance – adoption of GSTC-recognized schemes, green investment instruments, and earmarked levies linked to conservation. Practical implications include a prioritization logic for public budgets and private capital (rail accessibility, building retrofits, digital visitor-management platforms), clearer KPI architectures, credible eco-labeling rules, and pilots of “smart zones” in cities and protected areas. The framework strengthens destination resilience to shocks, reduces carbon and resource intensity, builds consumer and investor trust, and improves the retention of local value within communities.